Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours. ~ Ayn Rand ~

One of my favorites… I have many. “Enya” singing “A Day Without Rain” from her Album “Pilgrim”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Still in a holding pattern about 60 miles South of Albuquerque. I have to place a call to Sandia BMW Motorcycles and find out how things are looking for Saturday. If not rolling by then not much sense hanging around here. Maybe Chaco National Monument for a few days. It is only a couple hundred miles from here. We have been comfy I must say. My Friend Charles and his Mother "Lucy" have opened up their Home and kitchen to us. A nice aspect yesterday when the winds reached over 50 mph as even this house shook around a bit. I even watched television! A good show about the logging history from the ancient times to now. So much I did not know and what remains unfortunately in my memory today is the fact that only 4% of past Forests remain in existence. Sad fact.

My thoughts, my recent past ones, they are still behind a bit left in this little town called "Carrizozo", NM. Sometimes "something" one cannot explain pushes a button as it happened a few days ago. I am thinking it would be a good base camp for next winter instead of "The Oasis". Close to snow, close to many new attractions and roads. Made a few Friends, locals which have been there for years. I am sure they could guide us on how to go about it all. Just a thought… just thinking maybe I could settle a bit. Do I know myself that well?… Probably not.

"Old Faithful" is still in the shop and it is Saturday. A custom hose made locally by an outside vendor end up being too thick and too short. It was Friday afternoon. Karma did not want us to ride yet. The shop like barbers is closed Sundays and Mondays. We are now pushed into the middle of next week. And we are gone, Mountainair is a couple hundred miles behind and Chaco Canyon Rd is under our feet. Avoiding Albuquerque we took off on 60, 25, 6, 371, a right on 9 passed Crownpoint and finally 20 miles of unpaved road, 14/57. A much better road than the alternative entrance off 550 which is very deep with washboard. Trust me.

The adventure began when we arrived. It is a National Park. There is a campground and it is full. Absolutely no primitive camping. The option given was to drive back the 20 miles…. That was not going to happen. A mile away, out from the bumpy entrance road my map found this below beautiful road, one that actually makes a loop back into the Park. Up and down, hidden behind the hill, only a few curious horses and cows for distant neighbors, here we are.

Will we actually tomorrow await for a site? I doubt it. We can come back here every night. It is cool, maybe cold even with my winter coat and wool hat on. New Mexico has some vast land. It surprised me. Most in the area is Reservation Land, the map helps finding the BLM pockets. This whole concept of a million acres with two square inches to camp on becomes such a ridiculous concept and yet all would be defaced without such approach. No wonder we never visit or try not to "National Parks". Maybe once, has to be seen and felt and experienced.

I gave in and circled the campground this morning. A nice site tucked into a far corner. That is ours now. The weather is perfect. The dial is where it should be, the water pipes even froze this morning. We will be here a few nights as I cannot circle Albuquerque for ever. We will go in when "Old Faithful" is really ready with no this time surprises.

Clouds are present. Spirit keeps switching from sunshine to shade. Back and forth like a pendulum of a clock with a bit of water in between. I cooked me a lunch and awaiting Sunset to explore the ruins which are more than amazing and of many. What an incredible Culture it was as still so many of the ruins are underground to be discovered. I think I was born a bit too late. A few hundred years ago would have been plunged into an interesting Civilization.

The ruins have left me speechless. There are no photos or true words that can describe my experience. I can only above add the link of the information available. A much better concept from what myself could ever write. How much labor, planning and knowledge has gone into these dwellings? all keeping in mind no metal tools existed throughout those ancient times.

Another day has started here. The campground is now empty. I know it is Monday and depending on my call tomorrow afternoon I will know how long to be here. No clouds today, maybe they will come by Sunset when we go visiting more ruins. In the meantime these are lazy days. Peacefully the hours move on, there is no cell service here, there is no 3G. There is no connection but the immediate present and a long history of past having come to this intersection where they meet allowing for the colorful closed eyes sights for the senses.There will be more of “Chaco Canyon”.

In my effort to stay on the road “we” now have a T Shirt and Merchandise store. I think you will like it. “SpiritedOasis”“Smugmug” for Photos and Digital downloads. The recipes are on the “One~Pan Recipe” section. Needing a great Webmaster?Follow the link. Justin is truly the one that allows you to enjoy this Journal and it’s peripheral pages. We both appreciate your support and hoping we are giving something back.

5 Responses to “More of “Carrizozo” and “Chaco Canyon”. NM”

Hope u both are well and doing good. I loved the pic of the “Ben Franklin” store, we used to have one in my hometown where I spent many hours just looking, had no money. So thanks for the memories, ours was torn down long ago. These stupid people don’t realize what they are doing to cut all the forests!!!

NM is one of my favorite places…so much to see and to photograph there. As a contrast to Chaco and it’s past civilization there is the VLA just west of Carrizoso…from our old civilizations to far distant civilizations billions of miles away. Also, hope you got to Pie Town and ate at the Daily Pie Cafe, super pies as dessert for real NM cuisine.